AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He leaned into her. “Are you okay to let someone else be in charge of the wedding and take a little walk?”
Her hand gripped his tightly, and she nodded. “Yeah, the dancing will go on for another hour before the cake.”
Raine kept her close and navigated her through the tents and back toward the beach. He paused and took his own shoes off, then reached for one of Lucy’s heels. She stiffened, and he looked up. “I’m just thinking it’s easier to walk in bare feet.”
“True.”
He took her shoes off and then put both of their shoes on the fence. Her expression tugged on his heartstrings. “You okay?” he asked after a few minutes.
She nodded, but then tears dripped down her cheeks. “I know this must be so annoying to hear about the previous love life of your date, but I thought Matt and I would be together, and now …” She tried to turn back, but then seemed to realize the dance area was too far away. “I can’t believe he’s still telling me he doesn’t know what to do about Charlene and Tatum.” She huffed out a breath. “He’s a coward. A complete coward.”
Raine listened to her rant. Something about the way she talked about Matt made him jealous, but that paled in comparison to his admiration when she talked about how much she loved Matt, how good of a father he was, and how Tatum was such an amazing kid.
They walked a ways away from the inn, and then Raine tugged her close and held her.
She cried for a bit. Then she pulled back, staring into his eyes. “I’m sorry, Raine. I’m sorry for agreeing to go to the wedding with you and kissing you. I never should have, when …” she trailed off, then leaned in and brushed her lips against his again.
He pulled back. “Lucy, don’t.”
She sniffed, and then a tear came down her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
Raine wanted to be there for her, but … “I have feelings for you, Lucy, and I know this is rough with Matt, but I can’t be that guy. I just can’t.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m going to walk away right now before I can’t stop you when you kiss me. Because …” He lightly touched her tear-stained cheek. “You have helped me realize I deserve more than a woman who is on the rebound.”
She sniffed and nodded. “You do. I’m so sorry.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I already forgave you, but I have to walk away.”
“Okay. See you later.”
As he walked away, his heart broke for Lucy. Part of him regretted not being the rebound guy because it would have given him access to kissing her. But the other part of him, a new part of him, was proud of himself.
“I can do all things through Christ, the Lord.”
Yes, he could. Even walk away from the lips of a beautiful woman.
Chapter 20
The rest of the night was a blur for Lucy. She had to oversee everything from the structure of the cake to the videos of the bride and groom shoving cake in each other’s faces. She was happy to report that Dawn shoved quite a bit into Trevor’s face. Then there was the sendoff with huge sparklers for the bride and groom. All the children had them, and she had to make sure the whole place didn’t burn down. She herded people until everyone was standing next to the Stone family and the beach crew, waving as Dawn and Trevor left in the decorated “just married” car.
Matt and Charlene were standing together waving, too. Lucy tried not to watch them.
Tatum rushed toward her, as if she’d been waiting to break free. She threw her arms around Lucy’s waist and said, “Good news!”
Lucy held her tightly. “What?”
“My parents are getting married again.”
Just then, Lucy’s eyes met Matt’s. She honestly didn’t know what to think anymore, but part of her died inside.
Chapter 21
The next morning, Lucy woke early. She got up, put on some clothes, and went for a walk on the beach. Her part of the beach wasn’t the touristy part. She liked that about where she lived.
She closed her eyes and breathed in the ocean. Her feet left prints in the sand, and then the waves washed in and out, erasing them completely. It was like how she felt about her relationship with Matt. Had it meant anything? Did he even care?
Maybe she should have blown up and caused a scene at the wedding, but she was proud of herself for holding it together. Proud of herself for letting it be Dawn’s day. Her heart hurt so badly. Even now, she thought about Matt and Tatum and the way Charlene had held both of them and Tatum’s exclamation that her parents were getting married.
Tears came to her eyes and emotion lodged in the back of her throat.
